La Paulée des Neiges Brings Burgundy and Master Sommeliers to Aspen

For Burgundy wine drinkers, Aspen was the place to be this weekend. Modeled after one of the most exclusive and sought-after wine events in the country–Le Paulée New York–the Aspen spin-off is a smaller-scaled wine dinner called La Paulée des Neiges, which literally translates to “Saute Pan of the Snows.” The $2,000-per-plate Collector’s Dinner at Element 47 inside The Little Nell treated guests to an amazing meal and 15 wines. The wineries on hand were Domaine de l’Arlot, Maison Champy, Domaine Alain Graillot, Domaine Jean Grivot, Domaine des Comtes Lafon, and Domaine Georges Roumie.

And it wouldn’t be a wine party without a few master sommeliers. In attendance were Ian Cauble, of Champagne Krug; Dustin Wilson, Eleven Madison Park; Rajat Par, RN74 and Mina Group; Brett Zimmerman, owner Boulder Wine Merchants; Bobby Stuckey, owner Frasca Food and Wine; Jonathan Pullis, wine director for The Little Nell; and The Little Nell’s Food and Beverage Director Sabato Sagaria.

La Paulée was created by Daniel Johnnes, the wine director for Dinex. Back in 2000, he started the event in New York to honor the similar three-day La Paulée de Meursault in Beaune, France. The Aspen event, in its third year, is a more intimate gathering; on Friday night the dinner included 30 wine lovers and six master sommeliers. On Saturday, the group headed up to the top of Aspen Mountain for round two lunch at the Aspen Mountain Club.